When you enroll your loved one onto hospice services, a social worker is a valuable person that becomes part of your team. A hospice social worker is trained to provide psychosocial emotional support to the patient and family. Towards the end of someone’s life, emotions run high and guilt sets in. All of these emotions are normal and to be expected. The social worker is there to help you through it, whether that is to talk about your feelings, talk about anything else to get your mind off it, or sit with you in silence while you grieve so you are not alone.
The most important thing that our social workers do at Legacy is lend an ear and LISTEN. Patient’s families go through many changes and obstacles in their life, on top of their loved one dying. Life does not stop or get put on hold for one to have time to grieve. This is where the social worker becomes essential to one for listening and offering support. Social workers have a caring quality that makes them special for the job. We offer to do anything to make the death and the end of life process as smooth as possible.
On top of offering emotional support and needs, there are many other things we can do. Hospice is a 100% covered benefit by medicaid and medicare but sometimes you have difficulty with other financial needs. Social workers can help you with the medicaid application process or provide the resources for the Aging Disability Resource Center. We can help arrange funeral services or give recommendations for funeral homes in your area. Social workers wear many hats and provide the best support they can offer.
The social workers at Legacy Hospice go above and beyond for the patients and their family members. We are always here to listen, give support, or hold your hand through a very difficult time.